Coops best role?
I know Coop won oscars for 'High Noon' and 'Sergeant York' but I've always thought that FP is his best.
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MovieChat Forums > Friendly Persuasion (1956) Discussion > Coops best role?
I agree, he is so believable as the pacifist father and honorable gentleman farmer. I think what is delightful is how he conveys the inherent restraint of a man who would like to cut loose but because of his Quaker values and customs is held back to a more calm facade. However, the facial reactions in so many scenes esp. with Marjorie Main are priceless. Cooper was a joy to watch in this gem film.
-- If Ewan McGregor were a lollipop I'd be a diabetic strumpet --
I agree. In this movie, his masculinity, which was his predominant trait as an actor, is played AGAINST, rather than TO. He shows a gentler side, and that makes him seem more complex and interesting.
There's the competitive side (the worldly) side in conflict with his wife's prudish priggishness. He refrains from participating in the Civil War, but you get the feeling he'd defend his family in a pinch. A reluctant warrior.
Most of Coop's acting amounted to a reserved understated quietness.
I can't think of any movies he did better in than this one.
True, Gary Cooper seemed to center his acting around this quiet edge about him, and it was great in this film. He doesn't say much, but at the same time he speaks volumes and you feel that you understand this character.
"I know you're in there, Fagerstrom!"-Conan O'Brien
A wonderful role, played wonderfully by Cooper. He is totally believable as someone whose religious practice seems less than pious (racing the carriage on Sunday), but in the final analysis is the only Quaker who does not resort to violence -- letting the Conferate soldier who had killed his neighbor go, while the church elders arm themselves and even his wife attacks a Southern looter with a broom.
"I've been beaten up but I'm not beaten, and I'm not quitting"
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A story written by a Quaker and directed by a man who lost his hearing making a documentary about a B-17 bomber crew is pro-war??? A film whose most riveting scene shows a young Quaker boy firing at another human and feeling like his soul has gone to hell? Doesn't seem very evil and right-wing to me.
"I've been beaten up but I'm not beaten, and I'm not quitting"
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This film is crap.
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juan said -- "An evil, right-wing, pro-war movie" --
Can't imagine what juan is talking about. That powerful moment when
Cooper gains the upper hand on the Confederate sniper who
has killed his best friend and wounded him says just the opposite.
He lets the sniper go.
Unlike so much in the past 20 years in films, where the sole driving
force of the plot is the hero (or heroine) getting brutal revenge by
wreaking graphically bloody havoc, Friendly Persuasion and this
extremely moving moment turns that on its head.
As for Cooper being too old (juan again), he is the father of two
grown children in the film.
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@mfan0825
JuanMacready is a troll. Ignore everything he writes because he is only trying to create trouble. This is because he is too stupid to contribute any worthwhile or thoughtful comments about any movie or about the cinema in general.
'Friendly Persuasion' is a magnificant piece of cinematography, one of Wyler's best. The cast were outstanding and I gave it a well deserved 10/10, the same rating I gave Wyler's 'Ben Hur' and his greatest movie, 'The Best Years of Our Lives.'
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I had to come to this board after having watched this film.
I don't particularly know a lot about acting, and know even less about Gary Cooper, but I was absolutely blown away by him in this film. Everything he did and emoted seemed so believable, and I just had to come here to be confirmed in my belief that he is one of the best actors through time. I see that a lot of people feel that he is; cool.
He is my absolute favorite of the "golden era" actors. The scene that especially stayed with me after watching this film was that shot of him sitting at the table -- practically gripping the sides of it -- after the son leaves for battle.
So according to the movie trivia page, he hated this film? Sucks, considering it was one of his best performances.
Though I like this film, I disagree that it's Coop best role. It's almost a ludicrous claim, when he made so many greater, finer films. Mr. Deeds, John Doe, Alvin York, Will Kane... his roles in Ball of Fire or even Man of the West are better films and arguably, better performances.
I love Coop in anything and Friendly Persuasion is a nice movie, but it's not remembered today. High Noon is an iconic film, so the nod would have to go to Will Kane.
I beg to disagree. I think the fact that the 'role' he played in High Noon was so iconic is what makes it memorable. He does not have near the range of facial and body expressiveness in that film as he does in FP.
High Noon is rather stark and archetypal in its conception and execution, while Friendly Persuasion is full of small, telling human touches (e.g., the incredible range of expressions on Little Jess' face after he makes his "God is Love!" statement in church, when looking at his brother, his mother, his father and the church elder). Gary himself has many such moments during the film, as do all the principles.
Much more an actor's film than High Noon, which IMO was more storyboard cut/paste, although of a sharply defined, almost surreal quality.
Friendly Persuasion is a nice movie, but it's not remembered today.
Gee. An awful lot of people appear to be not remembering this film here. You're so right.
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I've always found Cooper to be one of the most over-rated actors in Hollywood History. With that said, I do believe this was his finest performance and did indeed earn, at least, a nomination from The Academy. The film itself stretches history a bit, as there were virtually no Southern excursions into Indiana (Morgan's Raiders were the notable exception but they moved fast and very rarely bothered the public as depicted in the film.)
Remember When Movies Didn't Have To Be Politically Correct?
Check your facs on Morgan's raid. Th community represented in the film was directly in the path of Morgan.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan%27s_Raid
Sorry for late reply, but I agree. I thought he was just wonderful.
shareGC was believable in the role but I hardly think it was his best effort. I liked him in just about every movie he was in but, in my opinion, The Fountainhead role was a better performance than in this movie.
Woman, man! That's the way it should be Tarzan. [Tarzan and his mate]
I find it interesting, that in 2 of his finest roles, this and High Noon, there is a Quaker factor at play.🐭
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